MATTHEW OF WESTMINSTER
The flowers of history, especially such as relate to the affairs of Britain. Vol. I. B.C. 4004 to A.D. 1066.
page 571

again, re-arranged their line of battle in perfect order, and in a moment put to flight the English, who were rushing on triumphantly. At last, the English, having occupied a mound, drove the Normans, who were vehemently inflamed with heat, and panting up the hill, down into the valley again, and without much trouble they rolled down large stones upon them from the top of the hill, and, hurling javelins among them,slew many of them, overthrowing them in many various manners. Moreover, the English occupied a fosse with broken banks, with the passage across which they were acquainted, and overthrew so many Normans there, that the bodies of the dead produced astonishment in the minds of the living. For some time the battle was in suspense, amid all these vicissitudes, as at one time one side, and at another time the other side got the better, as long as the invincible spirit of Harold was united to his mighty body. Nor was he contented only to exhort and encourage others by his harangues, without performing in his own person all the duty of a soldier, making active and constant attacks upon the enemy, and slaughtering mercilessly all who came within his reach, without any silly repetition of inadequate blows, so that no one came near him with impunity, or without his wounding incurably either the rider, or at least the horse, or else cutting both in two at one blow with his impetuous courage. On the other side, William, undisturbed in his invincible spirit, encouraging his troops by his own conspicuous example, throwing himself among the first rank of combatants, and being present wherever the soldiers on both sides were bravest, and the battle appeared doubtful, displayed his courage as an active warrior, and stained both plain and hill with the blood of many of the English ; and penetrating the dense lines of troops, as the prow of a ship pierces the stormy waves, he opened his men a way with his own sword, not without much toil and danger to himself. From this it happened, that while he was raging everywhere among the thickest ranks of the enemy, and dashing everywhere like lightning, slaying men in every direction, he lost three fine horses on that one day, who were either killed under him, or who fell exhausted. And, although he was reproved in friendly whispers by his body guard, still, the unwearied vigour of that magnanimous duke continued, chiding the weakness of those who gave ground, and the pusillanimity of those who felt fear, promising the effeminate and unwarlike instant and glorious victory, without

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